The Top Three Web Design Trends of 2015

Trends in web design tend to align with how Internet technology evolves. In 2015, the trends will follow the continued growth of the mobile device market. Being mobile friendly is no longer just another concern to add to the list. It has become imperative for all website owners because Google’s new incentive for offering a mobile-friendly experience could affect search results soon.

Google has begun applying a mobile-friendly label to sites that meet their requirements. As more consumers use mobile browsers and decide to click on mobile-friendly results, search engine rankings could change. Accordingly, the top three design trends to expect in 2015 relate to providing an adequate experience for mobile users.

1. Continuous Scrolling Tapping links can be cumbersome for users on mobile devices, the links often too close together or too difficult to locate on the screen. Some desktop users also prefer to scroll down a page rather than click navigation links. This is why continuous scrolling will feature largely in many website designs in 2015. Some tools will refer to this function as infinite scrolling. The idea is that the content of a website is primarily delivered on a single page. Additional dynamic content is loaded when a site visitor reaches a predetermined point on the page.

Most website builders provide templates that allow site administrators to apply this design element in some way. Wix.com, for instance, provides templates for infinite scrolling, and Squarespace.com provides tools and guidance for creating a continuous scrolling page. For website developers who prefer to use a CMS, there are infinite scrolling plugins for many of those. WordPress, Drupal and Joomla, for example, all have plugins for this function.

2. Massive Backgrounds and Distinctive Type Big background graphics began growing in popularity in 2014, and that trend will continue into 2015. Look for custom photography of high quality to be featured as background graphics. Sites hoping to cater to mobile audiences might go minimal in file size with the large graphics, aiming for impact that is balanced with a fast loading time. Distinctive typography will also feature heavily as a design trend. In part, this is a nod to mobile users and their desire for readable type. This trend is also due to design aesthetics leaning in that direction. The major site builders and CMS developers all provide the means to create designs with large background images and typography options that add flourish. WordPress, for instance, has a plugin specifically for adding a full screen background image.

3. Responsive Design The top trend for 2015 will be the use of responsive web designs. This means that the source code on a site will automatically adapt the display to best fit each visitor’s screen. Web designers can finally say goodbye to coding separate mobile versions of their sites. Joomla, Drupal and WordPress all have responsive themes available to install and customize. The website builder platforms will also offer tools for responsive design. The Squarespace themes, for example, are responsive by default. Weebly.com has a couple of responsive themes, and Wix provides the capability to create responsive designs. Look for many websites to combine the other 2015 trends with responsive web design.